3.6 Securite Safety Messages & Navigational Warnings

3.6 Securite Safety Messages & Navigational Warnings

The Safety Priority signal is the spoken word SECURITE (pronounced say-cure-ee-tay, derived from the French word for safety). In maritime radio operations, Securite messages convey essential navigational warnings, storm alerts, and safety-critical information to mariners.

---

Purpose & Triggers for Securite Messages

Under SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation) and ITU Radio Regulations, ship masters have a legal duty to broadcast safety messages whenever they observe significant hazards to navigation.

Primary Securite Categories:

1. Meteorological Hazards: Gale warnings (Beaufort Wind Force 8 or higher), storm warnings, tropical cyclones, or sudden extreme weather shifts.
2. Navigational Hazards: Semi-submerged shipping containers, drifting timber/logs, abandoned vessel derelicts, or icebergs.
3. Aids to Navigation Failures: Unlit lightships, missing channel buoys, off-station navigational marks, or defective lighthouses.
4. Military Operations: Live-firing naval target practice, submarine exercises, or temporary exclusion zones in coastal waters.

---

The Mandatory Two-Stage Broadcast Procedure

To prevent clogging VHF Channel 16 with lengthy broadcasts, safety messages must follow a strict two-stage protocol.

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                  SECURITE TWO-STAGE PROCEDURE                    |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| STAGE 1: ANNOUNCEMENT ON VHF CH 16 (or DSC CH 70)               |
|   - Broadcast SECURITE (x3) + ALL STATIONS (x3) + THIS IS...     |
|   - Direct listening stations to switch to a WORKING CHANNEL     |
|                                                                  |
| STAGE 2: MAIN TEXT ON DESIGNATED WORKING CHANNEL (e.g. CH 67)    |
|   - Switch radio to working channel                              |
|   - Broadcast SECURITE (x3) + Full Navigational Warning Details  |
|   - Terminate with OUT                                           |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

CRITICAL EXAM RULE: NEVER broadcast the main body of a Securite message on Channel 16. Channel 16 is used ONLY for the brief initial announcement directing vessels to a working channel.

---

Verbatim Voice Scripts

Stage 1: Announcement Broadcast on VHF Channel 16

SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
THIS IS
SOLENT COASTGUARD SOLENT COASTGUARD SOLENT COASTGUARD
FOR IMPORTANT NAVIGATIONAL WARNING LISTEN ON VHF CHANNEL SIX SEVEN
OUT

Stage 2: Main Message Broadcast on VHF Channel 67 (Working Channel)

SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
THIS IS SOLENT COASTGUARD
NAVIGATIONAL WARNING ISSUED AT ONE ZERO ZERO ZERO UTC
DRIFTING STEEL CONTAINER REPORTED IN POSITION TWO NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF BEMBRIDGE LEDGE BUOY
PARTIALLY SUBMERGED HAZARD TO NAVIGATION
ALL VESSELS IN AREA EXERCISE CAUTION
OUT

---

Priority Comparison Summary

Definition & Purpose of Securite Safety Traffic

In maritime radio operations, a Safety message is announced by the proword SECURITE (pronounced SAY-CUR-EE-TAY, from the French word for safety). Securite has third priority in radio communications, ranking below Mayday (Distress) and Pan-Pan (Urgency), but taking absolute precedence over routine commercial and personal calls.

Securite transmissions are used to transmit important navigational safety warnings, meteorological hazard reports, and hydrographic notices to all mariners operating within range.

Triggers for Initiating a Securite Transmission

Under SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation), vessel masters have a statutory obligation to report navigational hazards immediately. Securite calls must be broadcast when observing:

1. Severe Weather Warnings: Unexpected gale-force or storm-force winds (Gale Warnings), tropical storms, or sudden sea fog.
2. Floating Navigational Hazards: Drifting ISO shipping containers, semi-submerged timber, unlit derelict vessels, or heavy icebergs.
3. Damaged Aids to Navigation: Extinguished lighthouses, misplaced fairway buoys, damaged cardinal marks, or inactive RACON beacons.
4. Navigational Events: Military firing exercises, major regattas, seismic survey operations, or underwater cable-laying operations.

Two-Stage Broadcast Procedure for Securite

To avoid cluttering VHF Channel 16—which must remain open for distress monitoring—Securite messages follow a mandatory two-stage broadcast procedure:

• Stage 1 (Announcement on Channel 16 / DSC Channel 70): An initial safety call announcement is transmitted on Channel 16 (or via a Safety DSC call on Channel 70) directing stations to switch to a working channel.
• Stage 2 (Message Content on Working Channel): The vessel or coast station immediately switches to an assigned inter-ship or coastguard working channel (such as VHF Channel 67, 11, or 72) to broadcast the full hazard text.

[Stage 1 - Transmitted on VHF Channel 16]
"SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE"
"ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS"
"THIS IS MOTOR YACHT CORSAIR, CORSAIR, CORSAIR"
"FOR IMPORTANT NAVIGATIONAL WARNING SWITCH TO VHF CHANNEL 67"
"OUT"

[Stage 2 - Transmitted on VHF Channel 67]
"SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE"
"ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS"
"THIS IS MOTOR YACHT CORSAIR, CORSAIR, CORSAIR"
"OBSERVED UNLIT DERELICT FISHING VESSEL DRIFTING IN POSITION 50 DEGREES 30 MINUTES NORTH, 001 DEGREE 10 MINUTES WEST"
"HAZARD TO NAVIGATION"
"MASTER, MOTOR YACHT CORSAIR"
"OUT"

In RYA SRC assessments, candidates must demonstrate the two-stage protocol without broadcasting the full text on Channel 16.